A gauntlet is a vestment of the upper arms and the hands in an Armour. It is also a term for a sparring sessions technique.
In a typical gauntlet the hand enters, the middle finger first, then the longer ring finger, then the little finger and then the thumb. It goes in smoothly without much effort at all. And then the straps are tightens around the inner forearm for a perfect fit. As it is said often “fits like a glove.”
A sparring gauntlet isn’t very different. A fighter well versed in the basics enters a fight with one opponent. If things go his way, another opponent is introduced and the stakes go higher. Perhaps weapons are introduced to the match. The fighter continues to dominate and prompts two to become three. Another victory causes another challenger to enter the fray. If the fighter wins against four, The gauntlet is complete and the fifth opponent is introduced.
If not even the combined strength and tactics of five opponents is enough to subdue the fighter, like the aforementioned gauntlet, the final challenger is introduced and the fighter is surrounded.
Every victory or a completed project, or a finished chore is rewarded by a harder challenge. That is how employees are trained and oriented in a new work opening. One project, then two, then three and so on. People find it hard to deal with multiple problems even as their vigor and focus rises exponentially, which is why trainers and referees have often stuck to a benchmark of five, or in some cases six as their top-line. Not even in the martial art cinema do the actors continue fighting if the number goes any higher, they either run or surrender, albeit with a struggle.
An old Japanese proverb rose from this training technique.
“See one as many, see many as one.”
Sound advice it is. To be focused enough to see every opponent, project or chore in all its components like one would see a crowd. This could give us invaluable insights in every creative and clever way. Once that becomes automatic, seeing many of those as mere components of one grand fight could give us courage and vision to deal with them in style. One’s own weaknesses and mistakes are easier to find when one struggles to keep focus with rising odds. One can learn to pace oneself in a manner that gives him extra stamina and energy to deal with matters that would otherwise drain him before he even started. Worth a try don’t you think?
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